Our New Tradition

This is my utility closet, today.  Doorway, wall in the hall where the bi-fold doors were.  Light switches and thermostat moved and tile started.  Dan went back to work today but he wants to finish the tile tonight and he is determined to get the washer and dryer in the house by the end of the weekend, bless his heart.  I kept warning him that 2 in the afternoon was his deadline, not midnight.  At 2:00 yesterday I drug Dan outside to play with the kids, and we had so much fun.  We kept asking each other why we don't play outside more often.  Sometimes you have to really schedule things that are important, even simple things, or you can keep yourself occupied with endless tasks and miss out on all the fun.

My boys kicked my trash on our New Year's Day hike.  Grandma made us these sweet beenies for Christmas.

I took this picture while I leaned against a tree to give my legs a break.  I yelled, "My legs are on fire!"  Paolo (5) yelled back, "I don't see any flames" and kept on going.  Strait uphill and they ran the whole way, kids are so cool.

Paolo was so excited to find a kill site with pretty feathers.  

Taking a little snack break.  Paolo always has that sweet smile on his face, making him vulnerable to attacks by grown-ups powerless to resist smooching his chubby cheeks. Graham, just 3, in moon-boots, ran circles around everyone, no whiney babies here.  I mostly like this picture because you can see the scar on Dan's neck from the surgery he had in October.  It looks like he got in a knife fight with a pirate and won.  So hot!

Criss-crossing the mountain on the way back we came across our own footprints.  They made me happy, especially the littlest ones.

We are standing in front of the cliff that Lincoln would have flung himself off if I hadn't yelled at him to stop.  Barely catching himself,  he said, "I didn't know it was really a cliff".  Not quite sure what he thought is was.  He has NO fear.  The kid is a total mountain goat.  He and his dog ran the whole way down, flying over fallen trees and boulders.    I never ever ever imagined that this would be my life, but here I am, in this masculine world barely keeping up at all times, and I couldn't be happier.  After some poopy years, I have to say 2013 was really really good.  Dan and I love our jobs, we found our dream/nightmare home, everyone is healthy and best of all we made so many good friends. My heart is filled with optimism and excitement for 2014.  Happy New Year!